What’s going on? Contractor digging along west side of courthouse

WHAT IS IT? The process of sealing the west wall of the Marion County Courthouse in Hannibal is underway. Different steps are being taken to stop leaks on the building’s lower level.

The exterior portion of a renovation project at the Marion County Courthouse in Hannibal is now underway.“For a few years we’ve been getting a little bit of water in the western side of the basement offices in the Hannibal courthouse,” said Lyndon Bode, Marion County’s presiding commissioner. “We’ve tried various items to fix the situation. And while the smaller solutions would help, they would never solve the problem.”Recently a contractor hired by the county began the process of digging along the west wall of the courthouse. A trench has already been dug down to the base of the building’s foundation.“They’ll waterproof the wall underground and then put in new storm water drainage pipes for the water coming off the roof to drain out better. Those (current) pipes have been in for over 100 years,” said Bode. “We think that will help our water problem.”The project is expected to be completed before the end of the year.